Job 10 2

Job 10:2 kjv

I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

Job 10:2 nkjv

I will say to God, 'Do not condemn me; Show me why You contend with me.

Job 10:2 niv

I say to God: Do not declare me guilty, but tell me what charges you have against me.

Job 10:2 esv

I will say to God, Do not condemn me; let me know why you contend against me.

Job 10:2 nlt

I will say to God, 'Don't simply condemn me ?
tell me the charge you are bringing against me.

Job 10 verses

Job 10 2 Meaning

Job 10:2 expresses Job's anguished and daring plea to God, requesting that he not be condemned as guilty without knowing the specific charges against him. It is a direct and poignant demand for divine revelation concerning the "why" of his immense suffering, signifying his deep desire for an explanation and a fair hearing from God Himself.

Job 10 2 Context

Job chapter 10 is part of Job's response to Zophar (Job 8). Job 9 concluded with Job expressing his despair about contending with God, whom he views as an irresistible force. He longs for a mediator. Chapter 10 opens with Job lamenting the weariness of his life and his determination to speak out in bitterness. This verse (10:2) directly follows that resolution, launching into Job's direct address to God, articulating his core plea for understanding and an end to his perceived unjust affliction. He shifts from general lament to specific, legally charged demands for answers, reflecting the overarching tension in the book between human suffering and divine justice. The historical context reflects a wisdom tradition struggling with the problem of evil and suffering, where the conventional understanding was a direct correlation between sin and suffering (retribution theology). Job's insistence on his innocence challenges this prevailing belief system.

Job 10 2 Word analysis

• I will say (אֲדַבְּרָה, adabbera): This is a cohortative form of the verb "to speak," indicating a firm resolution, determination, and strong desire on Job's part. It's not a tentative suggestion but an assertion of intent to directly address God. Despite his perceived vulnerability and despair, Job gathers his courage to present his case.
• to God (אֶל-אֵל, ʾel-ʾel): Job directs his complaint squarely towards "El," a common Semitic name for God, emphasizing God's supreme power and might. The direct address underscores the boldness of Job's appeal. He does not go through an intermediary, indicating his desperate need for an answer directly from the source of his affliction.
• Do not condemn me (אַל-תַּרְשִׁיעֵנִי, ʾal-tarshiʿeini):
  • אַל (ʾal): A strong negative command, a prohibition.
  • תַּרְשִׁיעֵנִי (tarshiʿeini): Hiphil imperative form of the root רָשַׁע (rashaʿ), meaning "to be wicked," "to be guilty," or in the Hiphil, "to declare guilty," "to condemn," "to render wicked." This phrase is deeply forensic. Job feels that God is treating him as a criminal or an evildoer, inflicting punishment as if he has been tried and found guilty, yet he denies any such guilt. It's a plea for God not to act as his prosecuting judge without explanation.
• let me know (הוֹדִיעֵנִי, hodiaʿeini): This is the Hiphil imperative form of יָדַע (yadaʿ), meaning "to know," but in the Hiphil, "to cause to know," "to make known," "to inform." Job is not seeking abstract wisdom but a specific, direct revelation from God. He demands transparency regarding the divine rationale behind his suffering, desiring to understand the actual charges, if any, brought against him.
• why You contend with me (מַדּוּעַ תְּרִיבֵנִי, madduʿa teriveini):
  • מַדּוּעַ (madduʿa): The interrogative "why" or "wherefore." This is the pivotal question of Job's struggle. He isn't questioning that God is powerful, but why God is acting against him, especially when he feels innocent. It challenges the conventional understanding of justice.
  • תְּרִיבֵנִי (teriveini): Qal imperfect of רִיב (riv), meaning "to contend," "to strive," "to dispute," "to bring a charge against." This term also belongs to the legal sphere. Job perceives God as being in a legal dispute with him, pursuing a lawsuit against him without making the case known. He sees God as actively litigating against him.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Do not condemn me; let me know why You contend with me": This forms a dual legal demand. The first part ("Do not condemn me") is a plea for God to cease acting as an unjust judge. The second ("let me know why You contend with me") is a demand for disclosure of the legal grounds. Together, they articulate Job's fundamental human cry for fairness and transparency when faced with overwhelming and seemingly arbitrary divine action. This echoes a deep longing for rational understanding in the face of chaos. It implies that if he were to know the "why," he could perhaps respond or accept.

Job 10 2 Bonus section

• Forensic Setting: The language throughout Job 10:2 ("condemn," "contend," "let me know why") creates a powerful courtroom scene where Job is demanding to be given his day in court. He is not asking for mercy but for justice, specifically a just accusation and a chance to defend himself. This is a crucial aspect of Job's arguments against his friends' traditional theological stance.
• The Problem of Silence: A significant struggle for Job, evident here, is God's perceived silence. Job desires not merely the cessation of suffering, but an explanation for it. God's inscrutability and lack of communication about His motives are deeply distressing to Job, creating an existential crisis.
• Universal Human Cry: Job's "why" (madduʿa) echoes a universal human question in the face of inexplicable hardship and injustice. This verse resonates with anyone who has experienced unmerited suffering and sought meaning or justification from a higher power. It's a prayer born of pain, yet retaining an inherent belief in God's ultimate nature, daring to bring honest doubts before Him.

Job 10 2 Commentary

Job 10:2 encapsulates Job's persistent faith combined with his radical challenge to God's ways. Despite his agony and the accusations of his friends, Job still appeals directly to God, seeing Him as the ultimate source of both his suffering and the only one who can provide answers. This verse is not a passive lament but an assertive legal demand for due process. Job feels he is under divine condemnation and persecution but is completely ignorant of his alleged offense. He longs for a formal accusation, a specific charge to which he can respond, rather than endure suffering for an unknown cause. This direct questioning of God's justice without losing belief in God's existence and authority sets Job apart and drives the central tension of the book. It speaks to the profound human need for meaning in suffering and the struggle to reconcile personal innocence with divine action.